Bill

Ephesians 4:8 makes it clear that Christ at the cross obtained different gifts for different people, so he purchased gifts for the elect, for his church, and the gift of faith certainly is one that was purchased at the cross. Ephesians 4:11 and subsequent verses imply that gifts differ for each christian. But all these gifts were purchased by Christ at the cross, as Ephesians 4:8 states, if the gift of faith is the most important gift God gives his people, since they are saved by it, it must follow that is was obtained at the cross by Jesus Christ, and it was only purchased for the elect. I have to agree with you that the entirety of Calvinism, that Christ died solely for the elect, hinges on whether the gift of faith was purchased at the cross by Jesus solely for all those that the Lord would be bestow it upon. This is why calvinists are comfortable affirming that Christ satisfaction was for all men as it regards to its sufficiency, but not its application (since Jesus purchased faith for a few at Calvary, for the elect). I was never a calvinist until yesterday or today, when I realized that there is a verse in scripture that clearly states that Christ purchased gifts for his people at Calvary, Ephesians 4:8, without a bible verse it appeared to me that it was false doctrine to teach that Christ purchased faith, but now I believe it is biblical and calvinism is correct.